


Colored Shadows

by kelly_goosecock



Category: Persona 4
Genre: Awkward Romance, F/M, Opposites Attract, Oral Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-03
Updated: 2020-02-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:35:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22545658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kelly_goosecock/pseuds/kelly_goosecock
Summary: Kanji and Naoto are awkward in their own special ways.
Relationships: Shirogane Naoto/Tatsumi Kanji
Comments: 8
Kudos: 75





	Colored Shadows

**Author's Note:**

> ive chipped away at this for like a month, kept getting tired of it and coming back. Idk. Maybe it's okay. There's probably some fucky grammar/spelling here and there I'm gonna have to fix over time. Dunno. Fuck it 
> 
> Title is from "breadcrumb trail" by slint.

Who the hell would want a dog that barked all night? That was the only thing slicing through the otherwise pleasant veil of nighttime that was draped over the Inaban countryside. Kanji hadn't ever been to a big city, but he imagined that a distant noisy dog was hardly worth complaining about in comparison to what city folks had to deal with. Maybe it wasn't so bad. Hell, he was relaxed enough anyway. 

A particularly yellow moonlight shone down into the alley, shimmering in the clouds of smoke that bloomed from his mouth. It wasn't remotely a habit yet, but he already had a number of excuses for even having considered trying.

_It looks cool._

_It helps me relax._

_I like the taste._

Whatever the truth was, it made him feel different, and different was better than shitty. Perhaps shitty was a stretch, but he certainly wasn't any better than before that new kid waltzed into his life and pulled him out of… whatever he had been stuck in. The metaphorical significance of the tv world was far from lost on Kanji, but that didn't make it any easier of a pill to swallow. He had enough problems. It felt good to help people, but fuck, was it hard work. 

Another puff left his lips, leaving a ragged burn in his throat. It felt like shit. It _tasted_ like shit. Still, it was _something._ He adjusted his posture against the ragged alley wall. Nobody would come and mess with him there - he knew that from experience. There were no roving gangs of idiotic wannabes that claimed that particularly unremarkable alleyway as 'their turf'. Whether or not he could figure anything out about himself didn't matter. All that mattered was that he could relax.

A beam of light burned his eyes, and he reflexively threw a hand up to block it. He hadn't thought of _that..._ If it wasn't a gang, it must have been a cop. He shouted down the alley into the light.

"Buzz off, asshole! I ain't doin' nothin' wrong!"

"...Tatsumi-kun?"

The beam mercifully left his face, revealing a dark figure. He recognized her voice before anything else.

"Oh. Naoto? That you?"

She answered, striding towards him. Panicked, he lowered his other arm behind his body, stamping his cigarette out against the wall behind him.

"What exactly are you doing here, Tatsumi-kun? It's late. Any one of my superiors would likely take you in on principle if they found you skulking around here."

"I'm just gettin' some air. Takin' a walk… and, hey, call me Kanji. We're kinda like partners now, anyhow."

Naoto's nose crumpled up.

"Are you… _smoking?"_

"N-no, I- hey, _HEY!"_

She stepped even closer, and with a demonic quickness, she snatched his hidden wrist. He sputtered an excuse.

"This ain't what it looks- Man, I was just-"

"Why are you panicking? Am I not worth putting on a tough-guy act for?"

"N-n-no! I mean, I-"

"I don't really care. Just put that thing out and never pick another one up."

Kanji froze for a moment, trying to parse through a growing list of apologies and excuses. It was true, he was acting different, but that was hardly surprising considering how he normally acted around Naoto. Hell, Naoto seemed to be the only one who hadn't picked up on his nearly unabashed attraction. Kanji clawed his way out of his own thoughts, leaving nothing else behind but:

"...sorry."

He flicked the half-smoked cigarette across the alley.

"That's… littering," she sighed.

" _Shit-_ I mean- damn it!"

Disjointedly, he lurched forward to retrieve it.

"I'm really sorry, Naoto."

"Just calm down, Tatsumi-kun. Leave it. It's fine."

Upon closer examination, Kanji noticed that his trash had landed about a foot from a pre-existing pile of cigarette butts. Wrought with embarrassment and jostled out of his already unstable confidence, he returned to where he was, standing up straight instead of leaning against the brick.

"So, uh, hey, Naoto. What's going on?"

She sighed, crossing her arms.

"Work."

"You ain't lookin' for our killer?"

As if she could not look more dejected, Naoto took her eyes off of Kanji, staring off into nowhere. 

"Whenever I can, yes, but I am fairly convinced that every path besides that of the tv world leads to a dead end. Either way, the police are stuck, too, and my superiors decided I would be better suited to 'other tasks' right now..."

"Aw, they got you shovelin' shit. I get it."

The desire to apologize for the language briefly crossed Kanji's mind, but before he realized how patronizing that might sound, Naoto chuckled. 

"I suppose, yes. That's one way to put it."

Kanji let out a breath that he'd been unconsciously holding.

"Okay, so what'd they stick you with?"

"I'm patrolling for, uhm, 'troublemakers'. That's what my superiors told me. They gave me some testimonies and files, but I'd hazard a guess that the majority of their paperwork is of little use. If I remember correctly, the most detailed description came from an _eight year old boy._...I'm taking matters into my own hands, so to speak."

"They sent _you_ after a street gang?"

"Do you doubt me, Tatsumi-kun?"

Kanji scratched the back of his head, though he wanted to smack the front of it. 

"No, I just…"

_Think, dumbass. Think. You dug yourself into this hole, now you gotta dig out of it, unless you want her to think you're even more of a lowlife idiot than she already probably does._

"...I was just wonderin' if you wanted some help. I know the name n' face of just about every braindead thug 'round these parts. Hangout spots, timeframes… you get a feel for it after a while. N-not that I _do_ any a' that crap, just-"

"I've read your file. You know that. I've read up on _every_ file that's linked to yours, no matter how subtle the link may have been. That said… if you really _can_ help me get this busywork off my chest, I'd very much appreciate it. Regardless of my _official_ status at the station _,_ I'd prefer not to be weighed down by something like… this."

"Great! I- I mean, good. That's good. Where should we start? What do your testimonies say?"

"Tatsumi-kun, I'm sorry, but I'm nearly done for the night. It's very late, and I don't intend to neglect my studies. I'm sure _you've_ done your homework tonight."

"I-"

"Don't answer that. Tomorrow, I'm going to bring some documents to your house. If you can get a good idea of who they might be referring to, then that would be great. If not, you can show me what else you know. Is that satisfactory?"

"Uh, sure. Plenty satisfying."

"Then I will see you tomorrow, Tatsumi-kun. Goodbye."

She turned her back to leave. 

"Hey, it's 'Kanji'! You don't gotta be so formal!" he called out.

Naoto spoke without turning her head, concealing the slight smirk that was gracing her lips.

"Alright. Goodbye, Kanji."

……...

"Aw hell, not _him!"_

"Not who? You know who this is referring to?"

They had hardly stepped past the facade of Tatsumi Textiles before Naoto's description triggered a reaction.

"That paper says he's got a nose ring, right? I know him. Follow me."

He set off down the street, and Naoto did as he asked. 

"Alright, but who is this person? How do you know him?"

"Just some outta-towner asshole who likes to pretend he's a battle-hardened gang lord. I've chased his friends off plenty of times, but never got my hands on him. He's a total wuss. Good at running away."

"Is that so?"

Eventually, Kanji came across an old set of railroad tracks, which he began to follow. From slightly behind him, Naoto kept asking questions.

"How many of these 'gangs' are there? If your record is to be trusted, there seem to be quite a few..."

"Ahh, well, they ain't hardly gangs anyway. Those kinds'a dumbass kids can't organise worth a damn. Most of em' wander in from outta town lookin' for trouble, and I'm just about all they ever find."

It hadn't been much longer before trees began to surround them. The tracks shot into the distance, rolling over the forested horizon. Further still, they came upon a dilapidated wooden shack that seemed to have not served a purpose for many years. Kanji slowed down. 

"I dunno if anyone's around now, but I know some of his buddies like to hang out here."

Sure enough, a boy peeked around the side of the shack, then stepped into view. His few piercings and punk-y clothes betrayed his rather meek looking face. 

"Who'zat, Tatsumi? Your little brother or your boyfriend? Cute hat, by the way. Real intimidating."

Kanji opened his mouth to retaliate, but he wasn't as quick as Naoto.

"Were you in downtown Inaba last week?"

"Dunno."

"Are you sure?"

"Dunno."

"I have a testimony that says otherwise. If you don't cooperate, I can and will take you in for questioning."

"You're running with cops now, huh, Tatsumi? You always have been a fuckin' goody-two-shoes. As for you, little guy, you can take me in if you want. I won't say shit, and then you'll have to let me go. You can't prove I did anything, and if you try to fuck me over, I'll get my parents to _sue_ your ass."

Though she did cross her arms, Naoto fell silent. That worried Kanji.

"W-what're you doin'? You can't just let 'im go! He's bluffing! C'mon, what the hell?"

After a deep exhale, he got his answer. 

"Our case is based on the testimony of a child and your corroboration of the perp's identity _based_ on that testimony. I don't doubt your judgment, and this boy does seem brutish enough to have committed the crime, but… besides the threat of legal action, I think he's right. Jurors don't care about hunches. Our case is simply too feeble as of now."

"Well, sh- uh, damn. If you ain't doin' somethin' about this, I might just have to step in."

"Kanji, if you hit this boy, I _will_ be forced to arrest you. We can always gather more evidence and testimonies and collect him later."

_("Hey dumbshits, I'm right here. Don't talk about me like I ain't. Don't do anything stupid, neither.")_

"I ain't satisfied with that. What if he skips town? What if you can't _get_ your evidence? Arrest me if you want, but he's gonna learn his lesson one way or the other."

"Ka-"

He didn't give her enough time to protest. Either the other boy was feeling uncharacteristically courageous or he knew that he couldn't run away, because he actually stood his ground, swinging an unstable haymaker at an accelerating Kanji. Of course, Kanji was all too ready for something like that, and he dipped effortlessly to the side and under the desperate strike, closing the distance between him and his prey. Reaching around, he drove his knuckles into the other boy's back, angled just under the ribcage. As if he had been struck by lightning, the kid fell to his knees, and then slumped to the ground.

Awkwardly, Kanji turned to look at his disapproving acquaintance. His breath was quickened, and he wasn't quite sure how to follow up a beating he'd doled out in front of a _girl._ It had been entirely instinctual, and now that he considered it, was not something he really wanted Naoto to think he liked doing. She made her opinion clear.

"Well, I suppose that kidney trauma is far less likely to be fatal than head trauma. ...and he may _truly_ regret his decisions the next time he tries to urinate… That said, I was serious about having to arrest you. Even _uniformed_ men can't assault random suspects."

"Uniformed men? What about uniformed women?"

Half of a chuckle escaped her lips before she stopped herself, seeming to have ever so briefly lost control of her cool facade. 

"I'm... hardly a…"

An almost imperceptible shade of red crept onto her cheeks before she was able to wrest her composure back. 

"...nevermind. I assume I won't need to handcuff you."

 _"Heh,_ not, uh… not if-"

The correct formulation of words would not come to Kanji. He knew if he gathered all his wits and courage, he could make some kind of kinky sex joke.

"...uh, no. You don't."

"Good, because I don't carry handcuffs."

She was grinning again, and remarkably, kept it up for a few seconds before reverting to her normal stony look. Was that _her_ attempt at a joke? Kanji was glad he had kept his in his head. 

………

"Shirogane-san, what is this?"

A skeptical looking officer leaned over the police station's front desk. 

"This boy started a fight," she explained. 

"I know all about Kanji Tatsumi. I was _asking_ why _you_ felt the need to take him in. You have your assignment. There's no need to step outside of the bounds of your responsibility, son."

Though his voice was already plenty unpleasant, the unabashed disdain he showed towards the young detective twisted it into a joyfully nasal sneer.

"I'm sorry, Takeda-san. It won't happen again."

"Mhmm. You can handle processing him, right? Most everyone else is busy."

"Yes. Thank you. Goodbye, Takeda-san."

Kanji had watched the whole exchange through widened eyes, and as it progressed, he became more and more irritated. Now that they had started down a hallway and were out of earshot of the smug officer at the desk, he began to vent in a harsh whisper.

_"Who the hell does 'at guy think he is? What a load a' crap! He can't talk down to you like-"_

"Calm down, Kanji. It's my fault. I've overstepped my bounds. 'Upholding the law' is hardly black and white to these people. Perhaps your transgression was… admissible."

 _"What!? Don't say_ _that! You did the right thing, one hundred percent. These cops are just lazy, you gotta-_ wait, where are we going?"

"In here. Come on."

From her jacket pocket, Naoto produced a small keyring, unlocking the door she had stopped in front of. 

"B-but this ain't-"

It wasn't. He was being led into what looked like someone's office. The desk, the table, the files and papers splayed across them - it was all standard "this is my office" stuff. Well, all except for the bed in the corner - that was pretty weird. Who the hell would go to the trouble of getting a bedframe and mattress through the whole station and into that dumb little room? It wasn't a futon either, it-

"Sit down."

He did, taking the seat behind the table in the center of the room. His eyes traced Naoto as she joined him across the table, and he was outwardly confused as to the status of both his arrest and the prospect of bonding with the girl in any way.

"What, uh… what are we doin' here, exactly?"

"I'm questioning you."

"But-"

"I know. I'm standing by what I said: arresting you was pointless. I could write you up and stick you in the holding cell for a while, but nobody would care, much less would they notice. Your answers will be for _me,_ not for the police."

"O-okay. Did I… do somethin'? I didn't piss you off, did I? The whole 'hittin' that kid' thing... If I did, I'm real sorry. I didn't mean-"

There was that rare smirk again. He'd seen it more that day than in his whole time knowing her.

"Calm down, Kanji. I just want you to confirm some suspicions I have."

Suspicions? He considered asking what that meant, and really, he had many more questions than that, but he'd been floundering enough. He was self-aware enough to notice how many questions he'd asked over the prior few minutes. 

"Okay, then. Ask away, I guess."

Naoto's hands were folded together on the table, her elbows resting on either side and her posture angled slightly towards Kanji. As understated as she normally was, she could get incredibly intense sometimes. It was a quiet intensity, but nonetheless…

"I'm lead to believe that you somewhat regularly engage in fights around town. Is this true?"

Shit, so it _did_ bother her. Well, there was no point in lying. 

"Y-yeah. That's true."

"I've also gathered that many, if not all of these fights involved street gangs, petty criminals, other such troublemakers… The list is quite long for just one person. You're not affiliated with any of those people, are you?"

"Nah. Some folks think I am, on account of the news and some rumors, I guess. I ain't a criminal, if that's what you mean."

"Technically, you are, but that's not my point. As for rumors, I came across one that suggested that your recent brawl with that biker gang arose from a dispute over noise. Their engines kept your mother up at night. Is this true?"

"Yup. Pricks were buggin' half the town, too - not just Ma. Ask anyone."

The determination on Naoto's face subtly morphed into something softer. Her confidence seemed to wane as she leaned back in her seat, dragging her hands off the table and into her lap. 

"Tell me, Kanji: do you always fight on the behalf of others?"

Her other questions were plenty straightforward, but this one flew above Kanji's head like a stray golf ball, and he couldn't see where it landed.

"What? What do you mean?"

"Your mother, the boy from today, the people of Inaba… there's always some extraneous connection. I see it in your files. They don't read quite like a rap sheet if you take a moment to think about them."

Damn, she was good. All that from some likely half-assed police reports? Kanji's brain took a 7 word detour:

 _She's so smart. God_ **_damn_ ** _, that's hot._

...before returning to address the topic at hand. 

"I guess you're right. I don't _like_ hurtin' people, but sometimes it's worse if I don't, y'know?" 

"I understand, yes. For what it's worth, I never believed you to be that sort of person. I just wanted to hear it from you."

She was smiling again, but with none of the caution that had once shaped the expression. It was a warm smile, one that breathed sincerity. Kanji smiled too, that is, until Naoto broke their brief silence again. 

"It's important for me to know the truth if you're trying to court me."

Hoooold up. Was… was she joking? She said it without a trace of sarcasm, and she _looked_ like she meant it…

"What? You bein' serious?"

As her mouth flattened out, yes, she did look serious. 

"You _are_ attracted to me, yes? You've given me every possible indication that that is the case, barring _telling_ me, of course."

Part of Kanji's mind was telling him to downplay the truth, and despite how flustered Naoto had made him (as she always did), he had enough common sense to know that would be a mistake.

"I- I mean, yeah! Yeah, no, you're… I like you a lot, I think. Yeah. I, uh, think about you a lot, actually."

He was _also_ self-aware enough to know how jittery and flushed he was getting.

"That is assuring to hear. You've been in my thoughts as well, if I may admit."

Though he would only reflect on the event's perplexing implications later, Kanji was starting to get hard. He hardly even noticed at first, unconsciously shifting his butt in his chair to ease the pressure his jeans were putting on his groin. 

_"Heh,_ uh, wow. When'd'ya figure it out?"

"The second time we spoke."

_Jesus christ, she's sharp._

"Man, I guess I musta been pretty obvious, huh…? So, what now? You wanna… go on a date or something? I guess I ain't got no reason bein' nervous about askin' that if you already got me figured out."

"Hm. I suppose."

"'You suppose'? What, did'ja have something else in mind?"

"Well, we _have_ already spent quite some time together. It may be a stretch to call any of our past meetings 'dates', but I assumed that our bond was such that you would want to move our relationship a step beyond that of mere friendship. Besides, I can't say I care much for the intermediary fiddling that people tend to call 'romance.' I think we're beyond that sort of thing, no?"

Verbose and uncalled for as the admission was, Kanji understood it on _some_ level. What he didn't know was just how high to get his hopes up, if at all. Hell, she could be talking about _anything,_ and what if he got all excited and made shit weird? 

"What- uh, what's 'at mean, exactly? Like, I'm down n' all, y'know, to be a little closer or whatever, but I just wanna know what you, like, specifically mean."

A rare, unabashedly coy look crossed Naoto's face. 

"I didn't have anything in mind. Maybe we should start with a hug."

There went Kanji's crotch again, and unfortunately, he was still too preoccupied to realize what was going on down there.

"Y-yeah, sure. A hug's good."

They stood at nearly the same time, walking around their respective sides of the table like clockwork automata - though, the reasons for their stilted and awkward approaches were different. Kanji was still nervous, of course, and he suspected that Naoto was just that tightly wound all the time. Nonetheless, he raised his arms and took another step. Soon, she was closer than she'd ever been, her coat rumpling in his grasp. Her short hair tickled his nose, fresh, but devoid of any unnaturally fruity or perfume-y smell. Kanji would not have long to consider Naoto's shampoo choices. 

"Oh my goodness."

It _should_ have been an exclamation, but it wasn't. Not one of the words was particularly emphasized. It was as flat as surprise could be, and who else could have delivered it so convincingly but Naoto? Hell, it was more interesting to Kanji that something had broken her facade so thoroughly that she showed any sign of weakness at _all._ Besides, she wasn't trying to break up their embrace, so it couldn't have been anything _that_ major. 

"What's up? You, uh... somethin' wrong?"

"No, no. Far from it, but- ...good god, Kanji, can you really not feel that?" she whispered behind his ear.

Then, she nudged her hips forward slightly, and all of a sudden, yes, he _could_ feel that. 

Kanji reflexively shoved his own hips backwards, sending him scrambling away from Naoto. His heel caught the ground a few inches too far from his center of gravity, and, with a _thump,_ his butt was on the ground.

"Uhhm, I- I didn't-"

His teeth clenched. Even though he was on the floor, Naoto was getting closer, and too quickly for him to process. In a panic, his eyes squeezed themselves shut, and he braced himself for what he assumed would be some kind of physical reprimand.

Bafflingly, there was a weight on top of him - no kicks, no punches. He cautiously allowed his eyes to open, confirming the suspicion that had frozen the entire rest of his body. 

There she was, staring inquisitively down at him. Their faces were a foot or so apart, and although the hug had technically been physically closer, this felt much more intimate. Hell, she was practically _straddling_ him, how could it _not_ feel more intimate?

"You're fascinating, Kanji. Quite fascinating."

A pair of hands slid up and around his forearms, working up from his elbows to his wrists where they finally found purchase. Naoto shifted part of her weight from her hips to her arms, pinning down a still rather immobile Kanji. 

"How is it that you can be so brutish and intimidating to others, yet so _weak_ around me?"

He bent his legs, trying to slither his groin out from under his assailant, but she held fast. 

"I-I'm sorry? I don't-"

"Mmn. I don't blame you for not understanding - I _have_ kept certain... _'feelings'_ out of your reach."

She leaned even farther forward, flattening her belly against his. 

"Okay, b-but," he attempted.

"Hush. You're noble. I like that. You're also quite strong, which I like just as much. However, my mere presence seems to _consistently_ render you… immobile."

Her grip on his wrists tightened, as if for emphasis. There was a pause, but she wasn't giving Kanji his turn yet. 

"It's… cute. You're crazy about me, aren't you?"

There was no reply. It was neither possible nor required, as Kanji's eyes told Naoto everything she needed to know.

Then, with no fanfare, her face was touching his.

He, however, still couldn't keep up. 

"Kanji, I don't mind being in control, but you're going to have to kiss me back if you want this to continue."

"Fuck, sorry. -augh, I mean-"

He felt like he had been saying nothing but "what" and "sorry" all day, and having let an f bomb slip only made him feel dumber. Before he could apologize, though…

"Ah, right. Thank you for dropping the self-censorship act. I can handle such language. As you might put it, I'm not a _fucking_ child."

It was already plenty weird to hear that word being made by her voice, but it didn't help that it came out strange, as if she was physically predisposed to not swear. 

"Sor- er, yeah. You can, uh, kiss me again. I'm ready, I think."

She did, and he was. Naoto released her grip on Kanji, moving her palms up to meet his. As their lips joined together, so did their fingers interlock, squeezing, tangling…

Soon, they were separate again. Though they had both been rather still, Kanji felt like he had just jogged a mile, a feeling that was reflected in his heart rate and labored breathing. Naoto had let go of him, and as painful as it was to lose even the slightest bit of contact with her, what she said next was penance enough. 

"You can touch me now, if you'd like."

He had been scolded enough to know not to get caught up in his own apprehension and to simply do as he was told. With an almost reverent caution, his hands met her hips, sliding up her waist. Her coat - a boy's coat, of course - was fairly square from top to bottom, but under Kanji's hands, it gave way to reveal Naoto's subtle but undeniable curves. Up he went, fingers slipping between the contours of her back muscles and the notches in her spine. 

"D'zat feel good?"

She sighed.

"Very. It would feel better, though, if..."

She sat back up, cruelly separating herself from Kanji's grasp yet again. Just like last time, what happened next was recompense enough. 

Naoto worked the button of her jacket open and tossed the garment aside, revealing her opaque white undershirt. She tugged the shirt untucked, and then reached up into it, retrieving a strip of some sort of cloth, which joined the jacket in a distant heap. Kanji would have asked what it was, but enough had changed in front of him that he could guess.

Naoto's shirt crumpled awkwardly around two new obstructions. It seemed impossible that they were hidden at all; she wasn't _Rise_ big, but christ, it must have been a pain to keep those things hidden. 

"Continue," she cooed.

"Actually, uhm…"

_C'mon, man. Don't fuck this up. You been real pathetic so far, so nut up and just ask._

"C-can I-" he stammered, "Can I touch your boobs?"

Naoto let a little air out of her nostrils.

"Well, I don't approve of your wording, but I applaud your honesty. You may."

Trying as hard as he could to not look like a kid in a candy store, Kanji cupped her clothed breasts in both of his hands. As was his instinct, he closed his fingers around them and held them there for a second before letting go. The moment he tried to do it again, Naoto grabbed his hands. 

"Kanji… like _this."_

She slid his palm across her chest, slightly squeezing circles over every inch of clothed skin, grazing occasionally against the sensitive flesh of her own nipple. She was silent, but the muscles in her face stood out slightly - she was clenching her jaw. 

The guiding hand left, and Kanji tried his best to mimic its movements. 

"Better?"

"Yes."

Kanji's breath hitched - Naoto was reaching for him again. Instead of his arms, however, she found purchase on _his_ chest, pulling her fingers down across his flexed pecs.

"Strong indeed…" she whispered. "Would you show me?"

Releasing his grip, Kanji briefly reconciled with the fact that he'd have to ask the same question yet again.

"What?"

She sat back up, crossing her arms.

"I presume you were holding back when I restrained you earlier. You may have been afraid of hurting me or had some other such silly notion. Worry not. I'm quite resilient. Besides, I granted your request. Why not grant mine?"

"...you wanna... fight me?"

No matter how hard she pursed her lips, Naoto could not stop the air from shooting between them as she choked on laughter. Desperately, she turned her head to the side and shielded her mouth with her arm, evidently unaware that Kanji could still _hear_ her now girly, tittering giggles. It was too amusing to get mad about, no matter how much Kanji disliked being laughed at. 

"Guess not..." he mumbled.

"On second thought, I will stay in control until you get used to my presence. Your confidence has clearly only partially returned."

"I ain't- I mean, you-"

She raised her eyebrows.

"Nah, yeah. You're right," he concluded. Regardless of how accurately he could gauge his _own_ intelligence, he knew that Naoto wouldn't hint at something he couldn't figure out normally. Of course, it was just like she said: his brain still refused to operate properly with her around, so no matter how obvious she made it, he'd likely get stuck _somewhere_ along the line. If she was willing to hold the reins for a while, there was no doubt that that would be the better option.

"Well then," she flatly declared, breaking their brief silence, "Enough of these games."

Scooting back off of a still-supine Kanji, Naoto briskly got to work on the boy's button fly.

"Woa-uh, hey - you sure you wanna-" he managed.

"Kanji, think about what you're saying."

Despite the general frigidity of both Naoto's word choice and her tone, she didn't seem to have lost her temper.

"Do you really want to object to this?" she continued.

Well, duh. She didn't need to be a detective to know the answer to that. _Maybe I should just shut the hell up for now. Can't hardly talk worth a damn either way…_

He nodded 'no', and she continued, tugging his jeans past his knees. Amazingly - and despite her facade having cracked over much simpler matters in even the recent past - Naoto seemed entirely unfazed, looking as if she were preparing to take on a moderately difficult math test rather than, y'know, pulling a guy's dick out of his pants. But, no. Stoic as ever, she slid his underwear down to meet his pants, letting free his desperately throbbing erection. Yeah, there it was. _That_ was why he couldn't think straight.

Naoto stared.

"I understand the basic idea here," she started, never once making eye contact, "but I may require some guidance. I've… never done this before."

Rather than answer, Kanji opted for a simple grunt. If he'd been nervous before, this was a whole new depth. 

...and then she grabbed him, and he fell even further.

Naoto pulled down, intently focused on his now-visible tip. Her warm breath torturously lapped at its sensitive underside, drawing a low sigh out of Kanji.

"It does have a rather… intoxicating aura." Naoto whispered. 

What the _fuck_ did that mean? It sounded like a positive thing, but Kanji could never be sure with that girl. Given the state he was in, she could have been quoting Shakespeare for all he cared. 

Breathing in, Naoto brought her grip rigidly upward again, tugging as far as-

_"-ow-"_

She let go.

"Goodness, I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?"

"N-no, nah, 'm fine. Just… it don't go _up_ that far."

"I see. Forgive me."

Was she _really_ insecure, or was it just some kind of programmed courtesy? Her face didn't say. Hell, she hardly looked like she was into the whole situation, but he supposed someone like her wouldn't do it if they didn't want it. She reached for him again. 

...and then stopped.

"Something has occurred to me, Kanji."

He looked on silently, imagining the various shitty things that that could mean: _I forgot, there's actually a security camera in here,_ or, _I'm saving myself until marriage,_ or even _I'd rather watch you do it with a boy._ God knows he'd _never_ thought about _that._

"How will we deal with…? Hmm. _Yes, I think that's the easiest way,"_ she mumbled to herself. 

Either she couldn't tell how cryptic she sounded or she didn't care.

"Kanji. In the interest of keeping this room and our clothes clean, I presume you won't complain if I ask you to… 'finish' in my mouth."

He spoke before he could think.

"I-I- ...yeah, of course. _…'finish?'"_

"I figured you might appreciate less clinical language. I'm sure you find my manner of speech to be somewhat obtuse. Nevermind that for now."

Once again, she broke eye contact, shifting her focus to the throbbing thickness in front of her face. Her first stroke was far more careful this time, working its way down with a gentle squeeze. On its way back up, she glanced at his face as if to confirm that she hadn't screwed up again. There _was_ something in her eyes after all. Perhaps it had been there the whole time, but he had only noticed it now. She didn't just want this. She _needed_ it.

"That's good," he whispered, and why not cheer her on? 

Another stroke. Tighter. Just the slightest bit faster. Naoto built a slow, thrumming rhythm beat by beat, squeeze by squeeze. Her fingers kneaded into Kanji's shaft somewhat clumsily, but he hadn't forgotten what she had said before about needing 'guidance'. ...perhaps he could give that guidance another time - he still lacked the confidence to say more than one or two words at a time lest his brain fuck something up. And, shit, how could he complain, anyway? The smartest, cutest chick he knew was currently-

_"Hmmnh-"_

He couldn't help it. She was slowly but surely picking up the pace.

"Your, uhm, _cock_ feels very nice, Kanji."

As quickly as she could pick other stuff up, Naoto seemingly hadn't figured out dirty talk yet. Still, there was something charming about the attempt itself that made the clumsy wording more cute than sexy.

"Please tell me when you're going to finish," she instructed.

Through ragged breaths, Kanji forced out a thought of his own for once.

_"C-cum."_

"What?"

_"Say- cum. Not finish- -nn-"_

"I see. In that case, let me know when you're about to cum."

Embarrassingly, he could already tell it wouldn't be long. Naoto's rigid, methodical movements were dragging him out of his body. For fear of overstimulation, his eyes shut. The only thing that was real anymore was the sound of her breath - a sound that proved her enthusiasm in spite of her methodical front. Hearing her get worked up _at all_ was practically as stimulating as the handjob itself. Just to know that she liked it seemingly as much as he did was enough to push him even closer to the edge. 

_"Ffffuck yes, god, Naoto-"_

"You're close?"

_"Gettin' there."_

"Mm. These sounds you're making… they're very arousing."

_"A-are you wet?"_

"Yes. I'm very 'wet' for you, Kanji."

Pressure. Pressure from deep inside. Kanji's thighs clenched, his knees desperately bending and straightening as his head lolled back and forth. 

_"I'm gonna- gonna cum-"_

Wet warmth enveloped the tip of his cock as he tumbled over the peak. His hips bent off the ground with the first few flexes of his orgasm, inching him deeper into Naoto. Merciful relief radiated in his groin, turning those tortured, clenching spurts into viscous dribbles that rolled onto Naoto's eager tongue. 

All of a sudden, Kanji felt a rather curious clarity - moreso than that which normally resulted from masturbation. He opened his eyes. Naoto was kneeling upright now, and looking down at him.

"You have an interesting taste, Kanji," she stated.

"'Zat s'posed'a be a compliment?"

"It's an _erotic_ sort of interesting, let's say."

"Oh yeah, much better."

"Mm. Sarcasm. Could it be that your confidence has returned? Do I still make you uncomfortable?"

He thought for a moment, glancing down at his still-shimmering, spit-slicked privates.

"Can I put my pants back on before I answer that?"

"Ah. Of course."

She rose, reclaiming her spot at the table and briefly adjusting her hat. Once he was clothed again, Kanji joined her.

"So, uh… what about you?" he asked cautiously.

"What do you mean?"

Despite having returned to her normal deadpan tone, a shade of red still lingered on her cheeks. 

"Well, y'know, seein' as you, uh, 'helped me out' there, I guess I was wonderin' if you were in the same boat. I mean, you _did_ say…"

"You do seem to be in better spirits now. I suppose it's only fair."

She all-too-nonchalantly stood and began undoing her belt. 

"Woah," Kanji marvelled.

"What did you expect? Do you want to talk about it some more or do you want to do it?"

"Fair enough."

With that, her slacks were on the floor, and the white cotton of her panties peeked out from beneath the tails of her shirt. She sat back down on the edge of the strange bed in the corner, where she was soon joined by Kanji. 

"If I may, Kanji," Naoto began, laying herself face-up on the bed, "I think it might be better for both of us if you used your mouth. I'll still guide you, but I suspect you'll have an easier time that way than if you used your hands."

"Uhm, alright." He moved, too, taking essentially the same position that Naoto had only minutes ago. With a view like that, he finally noticed the dark spot on the bottom of her underwear. _Damn. She wasn't kiddin' about bein' wet._ "It's _that_ confusing down there?"

"Confusing isn't exactly the best word for it, but there _is_ considerable potential for error. Trust me. 'Down there', as you say, I'm… admittedly quite delicate."

Well, Kanji wasn't going to make her wait. With how much his orgasm had negated the anxiety of trying not to disappoint her, he was actually able to reach out and grab her panties without having to be told. That's not to say his heart wasn't racing as he got his first look at Naoto.

Most immediately striking was the dense but trimmed thicket of hair that covered the otherwise girlish mound above her privates, deep blue and unprecedentedly scruffy. Perhaps it made her feel more masculine to remain unshaven - her legs were left natural as well. Young though she was, it may have raised some questions if Japan's most famous boy detective had smooth, pretty legs. Kanji didn't mind. Obviously, manliness was pretty much the opposite of a dealbreaker for him. 

Kneeling forward, Kanji placed his hands on the outsides of her thighs, massaging them gently. 

"Wow," he couldn't help whispering. 

Shockingly, Naoto made a sound that could have been defined as a giggle. 

Her lips were slicked together, soft and glistening. As Kanji learned in, a hand came into view, the index and middle fingers of which tugged those lips apart, revealing the tender pink beneath, itself coated with the same thick wetness.

"Right here," Naoto directed, pointing at the slight protrusion on the uppermost extreme of her privates. "Remember, **_be_** **_gentle_**. Please."

By now, Kanji's nostrils were full of her aroma - a strange, but undeniably human smell that he seemed to be mentally programmed to enjoy. As thoroughly as his arousal had been spent, he could feel his cock stirring to life again. He stuck his tongue forward, grazing her clit with an exceptionally cautious swipe. 

A low sound rumbled out of Naoto's throat; it was the deepest Kanji had ever heard her voice go. Immediately, he wanted to hear it again. 

He did.

As he continued teasing, she continued groaning. Kanji looked up her body to see that her head was pitched hard to the side with a hand limply draped over her cheek as if to hide her face in shame. It didn't stop her from talking, though.

_"More. Harder, boy. P-please."_

_'Boy?' We're the same age!_ Kanji thought. _The hell is that s'posed to- ...y'know what? Fuck it. I don't care._

Kanji allowed his tongue to press slightly deeper into Naoto's soft skin, running it back and forth across that bit she had pointed out to him, and it must have been the right bit, because she was getting even more vocal about her approval. That said, it wasn't long before he couldn't hear it, anyway. 

Naoto's thighs clamped down on either side of Kanji's head, her hips bucking up against his mouth in encouragement. Luckily for her, Kanji correctly interpreted her actions as such, and began lapping even more emphatically at her clit. Tighter. Every taste made her grip tighter, as if she would die if he weren't there - if he stopped licking. Tighter still. Kanji remained steadfast, too aroused by his partner's unthinkably uncharacteristic demeanor to fear failure. 

All of a sudden, he could hear again. His partner had fallen limp but for a parting spasm of pleasure in her lower half. Leaning back, Kanji suddenly wondered how he might clean the mess that was dribbling down his chin. As he raised a hand to wipe it up, Naoto spoke.

"Thank you, Kanji."

"...uhm, no problem."

"Ah, I suppose that wording is somewhat of a faux pas in this situation. That felt very good."

"Okay, sweet. I liked it too."

For a brief moment, they shared a sober silence, fully aware of each other and the way they felt. It was unbearably awkward. 

"May I… have my underwear back?"

"Oh, shit! Yeah."

Little was said as they attempted both to make themselves appear presentable and to confirm that they hadn't left any undesirable evidence of their liaison behind. Satisfied, Naoto led Kanji back outside through the door. 

"What in god's name…?"

Immediately to their right, Ryotaro Dojima was sauntering down the hall - though his saunter had turned into a march the moment he saw the two kids. They froze.

"Back so soon, sir?" Naoto attempted. 

"Shirogane, what-" Dojima countered, seemingly having noticed something startling. "...what's going on here?"

"I had reason to believe he could provide helpful testimony on a case of mine. I took matters into my own hands and questioned him myself."

"What, with your shirt off?"

Looking down, it appeared that the ever-careful detective prince had left the tails of her shirt dangling freely past her waist.

"I- I was adjusting my belt."

Feeble though the excuse was, Kanji admired how she hardly faltered, her intonation sounding no different than normal. Looking closer, though, her face was still pretty red, and he figured his must have been, too. Dojima wasn't having it.

"Look, it's not any of my business what you two boys get up to in private, but, _christ,_ my office? I… gotta ask. You weren't doing anything in there that could get you fired, were you?"

"No, sir."

"And you understand that I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt?"

"Yes, sir."

"And you're not gonna pull any stunts like this ever again?"

"No, sir."

"Good. Now, get the hell outta here, kid. I know you well enough to know if there was work to be done you'd already be doing it." In a unique sort of way, it was really a compliment. 

"Yes, sir. Goodbye, Dojima-san."

As the door clattered shut behind them, Kanji relished the freshness of the air. He'd been set free from that building plenty of times, but freedom hadn't ever felt sweeter. 

"Well, Kanji," Naoto began, "you have my phone number, and I have yours. If you'd ever like to get together, I should hope you'll contact me."

"Yeah. Same to you."

Their destinations were in opposite directions. Yet another reluctant silence befell the both of them as they waited for each other to say something, anything. 

"Farewell, then." 

"Naoto-"

She fell still. 

"You, uh…" Kanji continued, "How about a, uh, goodbye kiss? Maybe?"

Naoto glanced around. The street was empty. With a final mischievous smile, she granted his request. 

………

Strolling along the side streets, Kanji happened upon a public trash can. He paused, his train of thought momentarily delayed. Naoto had dominated his mind for the entire walk home, but something suddenly snuck to the front of his consciousness. 

Involuntarily, his hand slipped into his jacket pocket, wrapping his fingers around the contents. 

He approached the trash can, tossing the half-full pack of cigarettes away. 

_"Excuses, excuses."_

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> If you liked this, you can follow me at @DegenerateMoron


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